Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Scharfenberger Appointed to State League of Municipalities Legislative Committee

MIDDLETOWN – Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger has been appointed to the New Jersey State League of Municipalities Legislative Committee.

As a member of the league’s Legislative Committee, Mayor Scharfenberger will help define the league’s position on thousands of state bills and resolutions that impact municipalities. The 100-member body reflects a broad spectrum of municipal viewpoints from rural communities to suburban municipalities to larger cities. The committee comprises a cross section of mayors, governing body members, attorneys, engineers, managers, clerks and other key local administrative officials.

“We are pleased that Mayor Scharfenberger is willing to devote his time and expertise to the league's Legislative Committee. His participation will greatly enhance our deliberations on issues of municipal relevance. We are delighted to welcome him as a member of this very important policy-making committee,” said NJSLOM Executive Director Bill Dressell. The league announced Scharfenberger’s appointment this week.

Mayor Scharfenberger, a member of the Governor’ Chris Christie’s transition team, has been a vocal opponent of unfunded state mandates, which are orders given to municipalities like Middletown by the state with no funding to pay for their implementation. Examples of unfunded mandates that affect Middletown range from state-ordered certification for township employees, to the construction of a truck wash at the Department of Public Works, to the construction of low-income housing as ordered by COAH.

"It is an honor to be asked to serve on the league’s Legislative Committee,” said Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger. “This appointment will allow Middletown to have a voice in the development of important legislation that often times have a profound effect on the operation of the township. The potential for affecting positive change in the state is significant with the direction that Governor Christie has taken New Jersey. I look forward to playing a role in helping shape future legislation.”

The New Jersey State League of Municipalities is a voluntary association created to help communities do a better job of self-government through pooling information resources and brain power. It is authorized by State Statute and since 1915, has been serving local officials throughout the Garden State. All 566 municipalities are members of the League. Over 560 mayors and 13,000 elected and appointed officials of member municipalities are entitled to all of the services and privileges of the League.

26 comments:

fedupresident said...

This is great news! Maybe the mayor will get is much wanted promotion and he can move on to bigger and better things. Middletown will be saved!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Art, have you ever looked up Sharfenberger's bio?

He's a PhD
Widely published professor
Respected archeologist
Three time mayor
Landmark Commissioner
zoning board member
Christie transition team member
Public Official of the Year
Drug and Alcohol Alliance member
County Greenhouse Gas Reduction Committee member
Legislative Committee

Yeah - I can see why the Dems can't stand him.

Anonymous said...

An archeologist. Are you kidding?
so-respected for what?
he has turned into a self interest politician who will backstab to get something for him and only him.... just another failed politician! Wake up time! Hope the current Gov. administration is up current events...snake in the grass. His own party lost respect.

Anonymous said...

Dr of something but not common sense!!!

Anonymous said...

Mayor Scharfenberger is a great asset to the community. The man has so much pride in Middletown. Unlike his opponent who wants to be a judge, or freeholder or what does he want to be today? Oh yea, Township Committee.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:08 - shouldn't you be watching for trucks driving past your house? You are so predictable.

Anonymous said...

Suffers from "foot in mouth disease" !!!

Anonymous said...

This man is about as trustworthy as a snake !!!!

Anonymous said...

Is the twisted sister the only one promoting this character???

fedupresident said...

Who is that Scharfy Barbie again?
I don't care what credentials the man has. Let's talk about character. What do call a man who says all the right things but ends up doing the wrong thing?
What do you call a man who pretends he cares so much about the people he represent, but does whatever he thinks will serve his own party's best interests?
I think the word is HYPOCRITE!

Anonymous said...

Art - the last three posts are incoherent. Want to take a stab at a translation for us? Sounds eerily like a gadfly from the TC and Freeholder meetings, that is, yells screams and makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

Who is that Scharfy Barbie again?
I don't care what credentials the man has. Let's talk about character. What do call a man who says all the right things but ends up doing the wrong thing?
What do you call a man who pretends he cares so much about the people he represent, but does whatever he thinks will serve his own party's best interests?
I think the word is HYPOCRITE!


Translation anyone? Anyone have a SW Road/Lincroftese to English dictionary?

Anonymous said...

Sharfey Barbie is the twisted sister !!!

Hum,would explain plenty, HUH ??

Anonymous said...

Art - I suspect there is hole in the fence at Ancora. Or at least a tunnel from the padded room that lets out along Swimming River Road.
Add to the list of Sharfenberger's accomplishments his uncanny ability to draw the loons to your site.

Anonymous said...

Art,
It's so unfortunate that the mayor has become the target of so much anger out there. I hate to admit it, but he's brought much of this on by himself.
Yes he's in a pickle. By his own admission there is isn't much wiggle room in the BOE budget and is hoping the MTEA will save him. I just don't see that happening.
There's a lot of anti incumbent sentiment out there and he just might be caught up in it. I just hope he starts to wise up and figure out how to get out of this mess.

Anonymous said...

He could RESIGN and save Middletown !!

Now there's an offer he should not refuse !!

Anonymous said...

If anyone should resign it should be the ever so arrogant and egotistical Sean "what do I want to be today" Byrnes. Does he want to be a judge? Does he want to be a freeholder? Using the Township Committee as a stepping stone is DISGRACEFUL!

I'm about fed up with politicians who grandstand and do nothing for the community but use us like stepping stones. Middletown can't get rid of Byrnes soon enough!

Anonymous said...

Hey anon 5:15 - there's "so much" anger at the mayor from the motley crew of local Democrats, and a handful of loons in Lincroft. I have friends in Lincroft who have told me that the LVGA are looked upon as a bunch of nuts and do not speak for the majority of Lincroft. I know one of the little league principals from Lincroft and he told me that the mayor got the biggest ovation of anyone. Just because the school budget is tough isn't a reflection on him. I heard his letter read on the radio the other day and I and everyone I know agree 100% with him. And don't forget his opponent, Sean Byrnnes (another incumbent) was on the committee that picked the West Front Street Park for the turf field and he was quoted in the paper as saying that all of the other locations didn't work out. Funny how the loons are overlooking that - could it be because they are Dems looking for an issue? So get your facts straight. Did you see the list of the mayor's qualifications? Do you think the rest of the people in this town have the same anger towards someone like that that the banshees who scream incoherently at meetings have? And for the record, there is one loon in particular who posts here frequently whose anger is psychotic.

Anonymous said...

Hey Anon,
Since my kids attend private school in Lincroft, I have many friends who happen to belong to the LVGA, so I don't know why you keep on attacking them and calling them "loons" and "nuts".
They tell me the organization has over 1000 members and is non political and from what I am told are well respected and have done wonderful things for Lincroft.
I wish my section of Middletown could get together and do the same which is one reason I would like to move to Lincroft.
How do you go from defending the Mayor to attacking the LVGA? Has the LVGA ever attacked the Mayor?
Your annonymous accusations have become much too personal in nature and that's where you lose your credibility.

Anonymous said...

LVGA a non political group? Care to explain President Abe Littenburg's $1000 contribution to Sean Byrnes for Freeholder last year? Or how about LVGA board of director Mary Rogers Mahoney (aka Phony Mahoney) running for Township Committee as a Democrat?

Seems to me like a very "non-political" group.

Anonymous said...

Oh please 8:27 - the LVGA is well-known as a Democrat organization. Their board members post here all the time - mostly attacking the mayor. Two of its board members are running for township committee and they regularly give sizeable contributions to the Democrats. The one guy they put up as a Republican is working for the Democrats, in fact, I saw it announced on a Democrat blog that he was running two weeks before the filing date. Coincidence? C'mon. Why do you think the LVGA has targeted the mayor for a turf field in Lincroft when it was the Democrat, Sean Byrnnes who initially proposed the location and supported it publicly? Because the LVGA is only interested in getting Democrats elected. Non-partisan my you know what. What started out as a well-intentioned community group has been hijacked by a militant group who think they speak for Lincroft. I know so many people who are fed up with their antics, there was even talk of starting an alternative group. A friend of mine who is a long time member had an interesting thought. He wondered if because they have become so politically active, if the annual dues wouldn't be considered political contributions. So when you talk about my defense of the mayor, it is only because of the constant attacks from the LVGA board members who post here, and one member, a rather vocal chronic complainer well-known in Lincroft who has had multiple posts on this thread.

Anonymous said...

Jeff - you say the mayor is "in a pickle" - why, if he is asking the MTEA for a wage freeze, isn't it the union who is "in a pickle?"

Lincroft Resident said...

anon 9:29
Militant Group, antics, hijacking? Where do come up with this nonsense? Who's the alternative group or will they be annonymous as well? I don't normally post comments but you've gone way too far.
I've been a member of the LVGA for 7 years now and I'm a Republican! Look at the past and present presidents. They're Dems, Rep. and Ind. What's wrong with you that you feel you have to malign a group who helped get a park instead of a another bank in our town and a roundabout at Brookdale saving millions of tax payer money? Just to name a few. How about the beautiful landscaping at the Naval island, picnic in the park? BTW all members of the MTC come to the picnic and are warmly welcomed. These projects and events,not antics are all paid for by donations to the LVGA.
I've never heard the LVGA endorse any party or any candidate.
Of course individuals in any group can endorse whomever on their own. Isn't that their right under our consitution? Or do you have a problem with that too?
All your lies and accusations are just that. I'm now sending in my dues and I'm trippling it. People like you should be ashamed of themselves or maybe you just need some serious therapy.

Anonymous said...

Hey Lincroft resident - me thinks thou doth protest too much! Glad you are gaga over them, but there are others of us who have had to deal with them in Lincroft and there is another side to them. They are ruining what was once a credible organization. Just curious - how did a roundabout that cost millions save the taxpayers millions?

Another Lincroft resident said...

Let me try and help you understand...The county's plan to widen 520 into 4 lanes from Everett Rd. into town with jug handles and traffic lights would have been for more costly and less efficient than the roundabout.
Would you have been "gaga" over that. Common sense prevailed and the County, BCC and Township consider it a huge success.
Maybe you should try and join them and really see what they have done to improve the quality of life in Lincroft. Or are you against that too?

Anonymous said...

Been there, done that. Until the leadership changes, the association is off limits in my eyes. Did you see the pathetic turnout at their picnic? You think I'm the only one who feels this way? As I said, if they do it for you, more power, but to the rest of us - not interested in the egos and kookiness.